Investigating the effectiveness of endophytic fungi under biotic and abiotic agricultural stress conditions

Abstract

Endophytic fungi play crucial roles in promoting plant growth and enhancing stress tolerance, making them valuable allies in agriculture. This reviewer explores the advantageous roles and implications of endophytic fungi in plant stress tolerance, focusing on hormonal regulation, nutrient uptake, and their management of various abiotic and biotic stresses. Endophytic fungi influence the production of plant hormones such as auxins, cytokinins, and gibberellins; thus, contributing to enhanced growth and stress resilience. They also assist in nutrient uptake, solubilizing minerals, and fixing atmospheric nitrogen; thereby improving overall plant nutrition. This reviewer discusses the mechanism of endophytic fungi’s effectiveness in managing biotic and abiotic stresses, including; high CO2 levels, waterlogging/drought, salinity, high temperatures, salinity, heavy metal stress as well as plant pathogens and parasitic attacks. Furthermore, the bio-control capabilities of endophytic fungi against biotic stresses are highlighted, showcasing mechanisms such as induced resistance, mycoparasitism, antibiosis, and competition. The biological activities of recently isolated compounds and associated endophytic fungi are also discussed. Thus, as research in this field progresses, harnessing the full potential of endophytic fungi holds promise for promoting resilient and sustainable agriculture in the face of changing environmental conditions.